Saturday, April 20, 2013

It's hard to admit, but the older I get the more I realize my memory isn't what it used to be. As a result, I've become a "list person". I have them everywhere.

Colorful Post-its are on the bathroom mirror each morning so I'm reminded of what my day ahead holds (and so I don't go back to bed with the snooze button off). There's a long yellow legal pad crammed full of "to-do" things to remember. My iPhone sends me "Reminder" messages literally day and night, and I can't live without the phone's timer and alarm to help me remember the most important things and, when and where I need to make them happen.

In short, the need for all these reminders makes me think I "got stupid" somewhere along the way.

But I felt significantly better, when, on my 55th (gulp) birthday of all
days, I discovered this important "reminder" that apparently the
general public needs.

This sign was posted on every single pump at a gas station I stopped at when visiting my family last week in Ohio.

Seeing it made me feel So. Much. Better! It's a note I
have never written to myself. Phew. Maybe I'm smarter than I thought.

I'm a list maker too - but I still forget!I actually did try to leave the station once with the nozzle attached. It was in the days when they pumped for you. The kid took my money, told me to have a nice day and good bye. I left - or tried to!I never saw him working there again.

The old and the absent-minded will not read the sigh, regrettably. Enjoy your day, and read your lists, dear. I use workflowy.com which is a great online site that keeps track of my lists. I live by lists, too.

I have lists and nots everywhere also.....I choose to think I use them not because I am forgetful, but because I am extremely organized. :)I've never driven off with the hose in the tank, but I have left my tank open a few times.

when working at a busy job, I would keep lists all over the place...and calendar reminders would pop up and alert me on the computer. Since I retired, it's gotten much better, but what bugs me is when I'm saying something and referencing something I can not recall it. Many 'senior moments.'

I'm a list maker too. Nothing wrong with it, I just think in our crazy busy lives it's the only way to survive and accomplish what we need to get done. The gas sign was funny, like you I've not yet needed that reminder, but apparently others have. Hugs!!

53 and serial list maker reporting for duty :). But what I do that is REALLY irritating is ask my daughter the same question multiple times. It's like I can't remember whether I actually ASKED the question or if I was thinking I NEED to ask her that question.

This is funny...A friend of mine forgot his wallet on top of the pump but he found it.I use alarms, I know what it means, what I need to do. And paper calendar, and lists... :)Life without pen and paper would be empty :)

Oh, dear, Joanna, I am so certain you possess supreme intelligence!! How nice to be visiting the family - but are you freezing your posterior off? Happy 55th birthday, my friend...ye gads, I am 13 years older than you are!! Does that ever make me feel ancient. Oh, well, thus far, I'm still reasonably functional. Lovely Harper Ann arrived a week early - on the 14th - finally a girl child in the family - the shoulder is doing well - and I head to India on June 1.

That's funny Joanna.Don't feel bad, your brain is 55 years old, literally. Making lists is a way of downsizing the amount you store in your "file cabinets". It's really a smart thing to do. You'll have more brain space for the important things, like family.xo d

Well there you go. You remember more than the average gas pumper! I need to keep lists also.. except half of the time, I forget to add to it and spend too much time trying to remember what I thought of.

Speaking of getting old, I just read one of your blog posts and got ready to comment and already discovered that I had! Now THATS bad memory for you!!

I have been holding out on making lists, thinking that I can still give myself acronyms to remember things at the store but I am now throwing in the towel and heading to the store to get some post its.

Hi Joanna...I am new here--just found the link from Cristine at Footsteps.bz After I read a couple of your posts I just had to chime in here and tell you I actually had a friend who did forget to return the gas pump handle before getting in to drive away. She was following my husband and i in the car and we both stopped to get gas at the same time. Naturally we were all chatting away and then it happened. Honest woman that she was she returned to the station and it ended up costing her quite a bit! She learned the hard way--I learned by her example...and yes,, lists are important! ~Kathy

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